The study of materials used in the built environment has long attracted significant research efforts, with a continuous growth over the last few decades. Mineralogy has been pivotal in these studies, spanning from the analysis of the different mineral components of both natural stone and earthen structures, and man-made plasters, mortars, cements, and ceramics (bricks), to their weathering and conservation. In this EJM special issue we strive to gather cutting-edge, high-quality research on all the different aspects where mineralogy plays a role in the analysis of the broad variety of materials used in the built environment, both ancient and modern. We seek studies with a focus on one or several of the following aspects:

• mineralogical analysis of natural and man-made building materials. In particular, studies on the analysis of mineral components of different building materials, as well as the phase evolution in cementitious materials (e.g., during processing and setting of lime mortars, gypsum plaster, or cement/concrete), as well as ceramics (e.g., phase evolution during firing of bricks);
• evaluation of mineralogical changes undergone by such building materials due to physical and chemical weathering, as well as biodeterioration. In particular, the mechanisms that lead to degradation involving phase transformation (dissolution and precipitation) and/or new formation (e.g., salt weathering), as well as clay-related damage (swelling and shrinking);
• mineralogical analysis of inorganic conservation materials, their application, and evaluation of their effectiveness.

These studies should focus on both traditional and novel materials used in the protection and conservation of the built heritage, including but not limited to lime-, silica-, oxalate-, and phosphate-based materials (e.g., nanolimes, alkoxysilanes, among others).

This special issue is devoted to the Earth's mantle. It is launched for the occasion of the 17th International Symposium on Experimental Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry hosted in Potsdam in June 2020, but the special issue is not restricted to the conference participants. It is open to any submissions on the following topics, among others:

• mineral phase stability and phase relations at upper and lower mantle conditions;
• melting from the uppermost mantle to the core-mantle boundary;
• mechanism of magma production and transport;
• fluid-rock and melt-rock reactions at mantle conditions;
• volatiles in the mantle, deep Earth volatile cycles;
• physical properties of mantle materials.

OH bonds are present in a wide variety of minerals in the form of structural units or as point defects. In this special issue we invite authors to submit papers providing overviews of recent research on OH in minerals. The reviews may address any specific aspects of OH in minerals: crystallography, speciation, impact on mineral properties, quantitative analyses, natural occurrence, geological implications, or any other relevant topics. This special issue is open to any kind of minerals, hydrous or anhydrous. Papers can focus on any specific envelope of the Earth from soil to the deepest part of the planet.

The study of materials used in the built environment has long attracted significant research efforts, with a continuous growth over the last few decades. Mineralogy has been pivotal in these studies, spanning from the analysis of the different mineral components of both natural stone and earthen structures, and man-made plasters, mortars, cements, and ceramics (bricks), to their weathering and conservation. In this EJM special issue we strive to gather cutting-edge, high-quality research on all the different aspects where mineralogy plays a role in the analysis of the broad variety of materials used in the built environment, both ancient and modern. We seek studies with a focus on one or several of the following aspects:

• mineralogical analysis of natural and man-made building materials. In particular, studies on the analysis of mineral components of different building materials, as well as the phase evolution in cementitious materials (e.g., during processing and setting of lime mortars, gypsum plaster, or cement/concrete), as well as ceramics (e.g., phase evolution during firing of bricks);
• evaluation of mineralogical changes undergone by such building materials due to physical and chemical weathering, as well as biodeterioration. In particular, the mechanisms that lead to degradation involving phase transformation (dissolution and precipitation) and/or new formation (e.g., salt weathering), as well as clay-related damage (swelling and shrinking);
• mineralogical analysis of inorganic conservation materials, their application, and evaluation of their effectiveness.

These studies should focus on both traditional and novel materials used in the protection and conservation of the built heritage, including but not limited to lime-, silica-, oxalate-, and phosphate-based materials (e.g., nanolimes, alkoxysilanes, among others).

OH bonds are present in a wide variety of minerals in the form of structural units or as point defects. In this special issue we invite authors to submit papers providing overviews of recent research on OH in minerals. The reviews may address any specific aspects of OH in minerals: crystallography, speciation, impact on mineral properties, quantitative analyses, natural occurrence, geological implications, or any other relevant topics. This special issue is open to any kind of minerals, hydrous or anhydrous. Papers can focus on any specific envelope of the Earth from soil to the deepest part of the planet.

This special issue is devoted to the Earth's mantle. It is launched for the occasion of the 17th International Symposium on Experimental Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry hosted in Potsdam in June 2020, but the special issue is not restricted to the conference participants. It is open to any submissions on the following topics, among others:

• mineral phase stability and phase relations at upper and lower mantle conditions;
• melting from the uppermost mantle to the core-mantle boundary;
• mechanism of magma production and transport;
• fluid-rock and melt-rock reactions at mantle conditions;
• volatiles in the mantle, deep Earth volatile cycles;
• physical properties of mantle materials.